(TFT) Re: TFT Digest V3 #822

[brethalda <brethalda@yahoo.com>]

 lifeisfun@aol.com wrote:

> All of that said, it seems unlikely that any hero traveling in TFT  
> fine plate would be able to
>
> 1. Survive midday heat

He could.  Knights wore a layer of cloth under the plate.  Modern  
experiments show that in hot weather, the cloth gets soaked in sweat,  
and it keeps the knight cool enough to keep going.  He'd better have  
plenty of water to drink.  The heavily armored knights of  
Constantinople, now in Turkey, where it gets really hot, were  
nicknamed "ovens."  But they fought and lived.

> 2. Get on a horse, unassisted

He might.  I've heard of people being able to turn cartwheels in  
plate armor.

> 3. Sleep in his armor

Maybe if he was very tired.

> 4. Stand up if he is knocked down

I think he could.  See #2.

> 5. Choose to get wet

As long as he has servants to clean & oil his armor afterwards, I  
don't see why not.

> 6. Swim

The Samurai of Japan developed techniques for swimming in their  
armor.  It was a special skill they could learn.

> 7. Use a Rapier or Speedy weapon

I never heard of anyone doing that.

> 8. Use a Bow (range of motion is compromised)

I never heard of anyone doing that either.  There's a lot there for a  
bowstring to catch on.

> 9. Run

A true knight never runs!  Knights were horsemen.  He might run if he  
had two coconuts to bang together...

- --Scott
As  Scott said most of these are myths.  From my years of working at  Jamestown Settlement, chain armor is much heavier than plate.   Although plate can pinch more!  You can swim in it but not for  long as your stamina gives out.  I saw someone do it in a 12 foot  deep pool.  It can be slept in (especially when drunk)but is the  most comfortable thing to wear.  You can easily stand up when  wearing it.  The reason it went out of style is not because of  firearms as good plate could stop a bullet of its era, it was because  of the heat when standing in the summer sun (OVEN) when most warfare  took place.  Yes they wore padding but it still caused heat  stroke, sweat or not.  Firearms also allowed the commoner to be an  equal to a knight.  They may not be able to punch the armor but  they could still knock him off the horse.  Musket in conjunction  with the pike and eventually bayonet in square ended successful cavalry  charges.  Also  guns (cannons & howitzers) became more 
 user friendly.
  
  Yours in Cidri,
  
  Justin

 		
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